Checking in -

Deep fried iceberg lettuce, that that is a tempting thought. I got rid of my deep fryer many years ago, so I can't try it. Shucks and other comments.

I do bake lots of Christmas breads for gifts, but I find that I'm much better off if I avoid that first bite. Freezing is a great idea though.

This morning I did my exercise early. If I don't do it early it might not get done.

Let's all work on making this a great day.

I don't remember the last time I deep fried anything. I've never owned a deep fryer (my mom & dad had the fry baby when I was a kid. I only remember them using it for vegetable tempura and making taco salad shells from flour tortillas, and about once every two years for homemade fritters/donuts and rosette cookies. I don't even think they ever used for french fries because Mom always baked fries. I think they made onion rings and chicken in it once each).

We did great this year for holiday treats for ourselves. Hubby bought a bag of pistachios, and I bought a bag of cherry flavored sweetened craisins.

VIsiting my parents is going to be rough, because even though my Mom says she drastically cut back on her holiday baking, there'll still be crazy amounts. She didn't make peanut brittle or carmel corn this year either, but did make her amazing homemade caramels. I told hubby I'm debating between having one piece per day we are there, or setting a few aside to only eat on the way home. I think I'll have more luck eating absolutely none, and then taking three pieces to eat on the ride home (so there's no way to get more when I run out).

They're so addictive, it will be easier not to eat any while I'm there, than to eat one and stop there.

My aunt will also make a lot of chocolates, but every year she uses cheaper and cheaper "chocolate" so she can make tons and tons more candy (so instead of a few good candies, she makes a truckload of crappy ones. She uses the cheap dipping/coating candies that can't even be called chocolate, instead they're "chocolate-flavored coating" or "chocolate-flavored candy melts..."

She used to make one I liked (when she used good quality chips), that was white chocolate flavored bark with crushed potato chips. Sounds entirely trailer-trash, I know, but they were awesome. Not only did she start using waxier, cheaper candy for the coating, she started using cheaper and cheaper potato chips, so instead of being sort of like a chocolate pretzel in flavor, they're just greasy, sweet, salt.

The biggest problem is going to be her guilt-tripping. For the most part, I have no problem standing my ground with food-pushers, and can do it diplomatically enough that no one gets angry. But that doesn't work with her. She doesn't just get offended, she throws a tantrum. It will probably be easiest to lie and tell her I ate a bunch of them, and how "great" they were.

For the most part, I believe honesty works better with most people, but I'm not above lying to keep family peace if I have to.

The best news though is that we're going to be staying with my sister (who bought a condo a few months ago) instead of my parents' house where all the food is going to be.

Hello, all!

CanadianWoman - Brazil nuts are one of the foods Dr. Oz raves about. I love them!

Jo - there are many foods that I avoid the first bite, too. It's just easier that way. Not sure why some foods have a hold over me, but I'm doing my best to outsmart them, haha.

Colleen - although I made quite a few cookies, I made only a partial batch of candy this year, and used Ghirardelli chocolate for that. I decided that if I'm going to indulge at all, it should be worth it, lol.

Oh my goodness, I went to Walmart today and the place was wall-to-wall packed at 2 in the afternoon! Hopefully, I won't have to go back until after Christmas.

Have a good evening,

Checking in -

It is cold and rainy here in Wyoming, and I think the rain will be turning to snow this evening. Maybe, just maybe, we will have a 'white Christmas' this year. We often do.

I'm being very careful on the dietary front as I have no desire to gain any weight over the Christmas weekend. So far, so good.

Let's keep being careful.

Hi everyone! I can't post links yet, but I found a very good website for food exchange information and general diet and exercise info. Google exrx and select the first available.

Two days of NOT following my exchange plan (or any plan, not even food logging).

Made decent choices compared to previous Christmases, but I need to get back on track right this minute to get back to Wisconsin (Tuesday or Wednesday) without a significant gain.

Yes, holidays can be difficult, especially when you are visiting someone.

I've been fortunate this year in that I hosted the Christmas brunch for the family, therefore I was in charge of the food. I still overate a bit, but hopefully not too much. I did dip into the treats, so we will see when I hop on the scales tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Not successful today. Started out well (documenting everything), but the extreme stress drove me to self-medicate with carbohydrates (unfortunately, I'm not exaggerating).

I wasn't quite as prepared for the situation as I thought. I knew that there would be some extra family drama due to an in-progress divorce in the family, three children under 10, and two poorly trained puppies (one dripping urine practically non-stop, and both of them constantly jumping into our laps to french kiss us while piddling in our laps). The dogs' owners, getting angry that we "hate their dogs," just because we don't enjoy our tonsils being lick or being mauled, tripped, and urinated upon.

When we point out that their tugging on our pant legs and weaving around our legs could get the little buggers injured if we fall on top of them (as the biggest one barely weighs 6 pounds, and the smallest probably about 2), we're the villains for "threatening" to hurt their dogs. We aren't threatening to fall on them, we're afraid we're going to fall on them (as if I would be willing to hurt myself just to crush an annoying little dog).

Only two more days of this insanity.

A big hello to anyone reading this,

Colleen - yikes! If these family members visit on a regular basis, I do believe I'd give them the 800 number to a hotel across town beforehand. I understand stress eating, and have been fortunate to find a way to help in those situations. Doesn't always work, but helps a whole lot to say to myself, "If I overeat because because of this problem, then I'll have two problems instead of one." I've been known to say it right out loud! Come here and vent whenever you need to, as part of the weight loss process.

JoJo - I was hostess at my house, too, but the family wants certain dishes and goodies at Christmas, especially since I don't offer many goodies throughout the year. Yay for you, keeping it under some control.

thinin08 - please join us for accountability and friendship.

CanadianWoman - hope you had a good holiday, and will be checking in here soon.

I hope you each had a Merry Christmas, barring any snafus w/relatives, lol. My kids and grands were all here, but we had to move it all up from Christmas Eve evening to noonish, because of the snow. The little ones were so excited, and brought such magic to the celebration!

I ate too much Friday and yesterday, but not nearly as much as I wanted, lol. Today I threw away all the "problematic" goodies that the kids didn't take home. I am serious about losing this weight, and it just isn't worth it for me to eat my way through the New Year as I have in past years. Actually, in the past, I would begin at T'giving, only to be many heavier and very remorseful in January.

Have a good Sunday.

We're the ones doing the visiting, and the ones who can't afford a hotel room. When they visit us (about twice a year) it's a lot less stressful, because they don't bring the dogs, they stay in a hotel, and they usually only stay the weekend. I'm also less prone to stress-eating on my own turf, especially because I don't keep trigger foods around the house. Even the food I have for guests is usually food that has minimal binge potential.


When we visit them, we have so many friends and family in the area that we try to stay at least 4 days. We used to stay a week or more. Everyone complains that we don't stay longer anymore (but by the time we're leaving, you can tell they're getting sick of us too).

We were planning on leaving for home on Tuesday, but maybe Monday is a better idea.

Those poorly trained puppies sound awful. That would stress me out for sure, and I would try my best to avoid them in the future.

I got the "munchies" yesterday evening, which did affect my glucose levels. I should do better than that. The scales were not affected all that much though.

Today is is firmly back on that proverbial "wagon." I do get tired of climbing back on the silly thing. You would think that I would have learned my lesson by now.

Let's all keep trying. There's no alternative.

Colleen - oh, I understand the situation now! I know that, if it were me, I'd be leaving sooner rather than later. At least now you know to not stay there again!

JoJo - we've all had our turns hopping back on the wagon, lol. Hopefully, the things you have to munch on are fairly healthful. I love bread and butter pickles, made with Splenda. They are so good on a Triscuit cracker, and a little cheese, when I have the exchanges/calories available.

I'm 100% back on the wagon, too. Feels good.

Luckily we haven't spent overnights in the house with the dogs (it is where we usually have stayed, but my sister moved out a few months ago and now has a condo a few blocks away, so we're staying there). The house with the puppies and all the other chaos though is where all the family gathering for the holidays took place so there wasn't much choice if we wanted to participate (and if we didn't, there really wouldn't have been much point in visiting at all).

But the drama is mostly over. We decided to stay as planned. Hubby reminded me that leaving early didn't really shorten the time in hectic house, because we don't really have anything going on there today. We were planning shopping on our own today. If we do go back, it will only be for a few minutes to say goodbye to everyone.

I'm feeling better already (hate to see what damage I've done on the scale, though).

Checking in -

This is the lull between Christmas and New Year's, the lull between the 'big feast' and 'party time.' New Year's will also mark the end of what I have always called "The Eatin' Season" which is that period of time beginning with Halloween and ending with the new year in which it is just one eating opportunity after another and they are all focused on FOOD. That's FOOD in abundance!

This is certainly not the most friendly time of year for those of us who are weight-challenged. It is always a bit difficult to navigate through all the parties and tasty treats

We just have to do our best, and that is what we should be doing every day of our lives.

Colleen - hopefully, you made it home ok. I think there is snow in your area, right? We got only about 2 1/2 inches, here in southern Indiana.

JoJo - yes, it's the end of the parties for awhile. The boards here will be flooded with remorseful newbies, and I hope a few of them find their way to our thread, haha.

My weigh-in day is Friday, and I'll know then how I did over Christmas, and for the month of December in general. I'm hoping for good news.

I've got all the Christmas decorations put away, and am enjoying the look of the house in it's normal state, as it was before I put out the Fall things last September. Before we know it, there will be Spring bouquets to bring indoors!

Have a good day!